and so, it begins...

Like everyone else in the country, we are spending the afternoon in the kitchen.  Sarah and I spent this morning braving the vicious crowds at the grocery store.  The Aldi in Cleveland rarely has more than a handful of people in it at a time, which is nice.  However, today was a completely different story!  We had a pretty short list and it still took forever to get out of there!  I was constantly tripping over or running into somebody.  I won't even elaborate on the state of Walmart.  I'm sure you can all imagine it quite accurately without my help.

You would think that Thanksgiving, being the beginning of the Christmas season, seeing how "it's the most wonderful time of the year", with all of the "peace on earth and good will toward men" that people would be a little less, well, irritable.  I was really beginning to wonder if Sarah and I were going to make it out in one piece! 

It is sad that such a wonderful season is so stressful for some people.  Not that I don't understand it!  Believe me, I can get caught up in the stress just as fast as the next person, but I do try to take the time to sit back, take a deep breath, and tell myself that it really isn't that big of a deal.  Sure, there's the dinner that has to be cooked, stuff to go out and buy, a house to clean,  beds to be gotten ready, and just the natural uneasiness about having your house invaded by 20 people, but it's OKAY!!!!  We're supposed to enjoy this, right?  So, when I'm out fighting the crowds, I try very hard to at least maintain a pleasant expression.  Of course, I'm not always successful.  When someone speeds around a corner and plows over me with their buggy without blinking an eye, yeah, that's hard.  (Stores really need to install traffic lights this time of year!)  But, I have noticed that a smile, a polite nod, or even laughing when buggies collide, seems to lighten the mood for those around you.

Anyways, enough about the shopping frenzy and back to the kitchen!  This year, we aren't having Thanksgiving dinner at our house, which is very weird.  We're talking about a 20-something year tradition here!  As weird as it is, it's really nice in a way.  Why?  Because we don't have to cook the whole meal!  We're only cooking 2 casseroles and a dessert.  Talk about weird!  Of course, we are making a few other things, because Daddy's birthday is on Friday and this is the only time we are going to have to cook!

Mama's Broccoli Casserole

Sarah :)

Cream cheese filling?  Yes please!!!!!!